A new reinforced MAC protocol for lifetime prolongation of reliable Wireless Body Area Network

Abstract

Recent development of sensors and sensor networks has allowed the creation of new emerging systems which is used as promising solutions in several types of applications. Among which, wireless body area networks (WBANs) is an example that enable continuous monitoring of patients vital signs parameters in everyday life situations. Reliability and energy optimization are considered amongst the important and challenging issues in WBANs. The standard IEEE 802.15.4 is of paramount importance MAC (Media Access Control) protocol for medical sensor body area networks, owing to its low-power, low data rate and low-cost features. In this paper, we propose a reinforcement optimized MAC protocol based on IEEE 802.15.4 dubbed RMAC. The proposed protocol aims to enhance the reliability and to extend the network life time, by reducing energy consumption. NS2 simulator is used for the implementation of the protocol and for the performance evaluation in comparison with the Standard IEEE 802.15.4. The simulation results show that our protocol outperforms the Standard in terms of reliability and network lifetime.